


Sea you, See me~

by C_A_T_M



Category: Monsta X (Band), 방탄소년단 | Bangtan Boys | BTS
Genre: Angst, But whatever, Character Death, Cross-Posted on Tumblr, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and mild angst, Grief, Im sorry ufyfjgf, Kihyun is one cute fuck, M/M, P2 is more based on yoongi, Seashells, Shells, diaries, idek, mermaid au, was a oneshot, yoonmin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-13
Updated: 2019-01-12
Packaged: 2019-09-17 11:07:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 14,837
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16973466
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/C_A_T_M/pseuds/C_A_T_M
Summary: When the stress of work and the city became too much to bare, she convinced Changkyun to go to the seaside flat. However, instead of relaxation, she became a bride...





	1. Sea

'Damn,' she thought, looking out at the slowly darkening sky, the horizon alight with streams of pink and orange - the barest hint of midnight blue seeping in around the edges, 'this is exactly what I needed.'

Everything was calm and tranquil, the land and sea in perfect harmony with gentle waves pulling and tumbling around the edge of the beach. A truly beautiful scene, one that definitely looked so much better than the grey towering city buildings and smog that made up her daily view. 

The shores were all but abandoned on this particular monday evening, people seemingly leaving the place hastily with work schedules looming over their heads. 

She pitied them a little, however she also sympathised with them, for she had also been in that terrible cycle of mayhem; which was the exactly the reason why she was here, walking around barefoot with sand squishing between her toes.

The hustle and bustle had become all too much, so many sleepless nights and long hours driving her to beg Changkyun to also take a month off and let her stay with him at his seaside flat. 

Of course he had caved: who could possible say no to hours of constant whining? Not Changkyun that's who.

The entire day had consisted of her wondering around the area, taking in the sights and drinking in the peaceful aura that was exuded. She had asked if he would like to come with her, but he had declined, stating he would rather stay in and sleep all day. 

Oh well, each to their own. 

Her arms were above her head, a yawn escaping her as she stretched. Perhaps she would be heading back soon. 

Shoes held in her hands, she continued to walk along the shore, watching enamoured as the grains of sand lit up with multiple colours from the sky. And it wasn't until she had stepped onto something very hard and not at all squishy, did she bother to squat down. 

"Huh?" There, laying underfoot, was a shell. 

It didn't look like much, covered with a thick layer of wet and mucky sand. Only when she wiped the grime away, did the true beauty of the shell expose itself. 

A gorgeous thing it was too, the pink yet slightly opal sheen catching the remnants of the sunlight, casting rainbows in every which way. There was no scratches, not a single dent nor crack present on the surface - or the underside, she noted with a pleased smile. This shell was definitely a keeper. 

"I've SEA-N you now," the pun was terrible, yet she still chuckled while placing the shell in her pocket with a reassuring pat. 

A quick glance upwards told her the sun nearly gone, there was no reason for her to be out any longer. 

So she turned on her heels, fully intent on walking back to the flat and taking a warm shower to wash the dirt that had stuck to her, but she paused upon hearing what sounded like frantic yelling.

"MY SHELL!" Turning around, she was met with a sight she was not at all prepared to see, her eyes widening to an almost comical size. 

**_A whole ass naked fucking man running full speed towards her._ **

Had she not been so startled by the sudden appearance of a man from the ocean, she would have ran - ran as fast as she could away from the crazy pink haired maniac. 

"You found my shell!" His hands clasped hers, holding them tightly and bringing them towards his chest, not allowing her even a split second to react to the invasion of personal space.

"Gosh, you're an even better looking bride than I could have hoped for!" Bride?

Common sense smacking her all at once, she yanked her hands away from the man and stumbled backwards, almost tripping over her own feet in her haste.

"Bride? I'm sorry, I don't know what you're talking about," his smile dropped, water dripping down the sides of his face from the strands of bright pink. 

"You have it," a dainty finger pointed towards the bulge in her pocket, "it's my courting shell." He must have picked up on her confusion, his grin soon returning full force as he gestured back to the ocean. "Whoever finds the shell that the mer-people throw out to sea, becomes betrothed."

He was definitely crazy, no doubt about it. 

"Um, okay. That's real cool and all, but I'm not your betrothed," she gulped, saliva sliding thickly down her throat, "here, you can have it back." The shell was thrust straight back into his hands, his brown hues widening at the action. 

Looking down at the glittering object in his hands and then back up at her face, a feeling of sudden despair tainted the air.

"B-but you can't give it back? You're my bride now, you found it," The universe was laughing at her, pointing it finger at her mockingly and laughing at her misfortune. Obviously on the one day she had to herself, someone had to burst out of the ocean and proclaim themselves as her husband.

Why didn't things like this happen to someone who was annoying? Like Jeongguk maybe, lord knew he deserved it.

"You can find a new bride. I'm not very wifey anyway, you wouldn't like me," why she was entertaining this man, she had no clue. What she ought to have been doing was reporting him to the police for walking around naked. 

He looked ready to protest, lips forming the beginning of his next sentence. However, by the time the first syllable had hit the air, she was already running away at speeds that were previously thought of as impossible.

* * *

 

"-Seriously! Can you fucking believe that?" Changkyun looked rather unimpressed, his brows drawn tightly together as he stared. 

"So you're telling me," he sat down, hand running through his hair as he prepared his next sentence, "that a naked man-"

"Pink haired man," she interrupted.

"-naked _pink haired_ man, came out from the ocean and ran over to you and claimed you were his bride? Because you had his seashell?" Disbelief laced his tone, eyes narrowed as he peered into her soul. 

Now that he had put it like that... it did seem a little far fetched. Even so, she knew what she had seen! She refused to let him dupe her into thinking it was her stressed brain trying to handle being free by making up random men proposing to her. "Well, yeah."

He sighed loudly, shaking his head. "You're off your head. This holiday came too late, you're mad," she grunted, a little offended at his dismissal, mumbling only a half arsed retort. 

"I'm not mad, you arsehole. He really did come out of the ocean. He had a lisp and he wasn't all that tall, shorter than you actually," He nodded, not paying attention at all, instead walking into his kitchen to make his crappy daily meal of cereal.

"Sure." 

"Suck my dick," she was going to prove it, she wasn't going insane! All she had to do was find this man again and try to get him to repeat his story. Changkyun was going to eat his own words. 

He only laughed, waving her away with a flick of his wrist, "maybe later."

* * *

 

If there was one thing that had never changed about her since childhood, it was her unwillingness to give up. Sometimes it was determination for answers that motivated her, but most of the time it was spite that drove her to persevering. 

It was a fruitless task, the once comforting tang of the seaside air now salty and bitter. He had to be somewhere! He couldn't have just disappeared and it was damn hard to miss someone running around with a head of shocking pink hair. She would have been lying if she said she hadn't been thinking of checking the police station to see if he had been arrested, considering he was butt naked when she'd seen him last.

The beach was as empty as it was yesterday and it was weird because it was still broad daylight; it has only just turned 1pm.

"Hello? Pink haired guy?" Cringing at her own words, she knew she had to make do. It was going to be terribly difficult finding him when she didn't even know his name. "Are you here?"

Seagulls cawed as a response, swooping down with teasing shudders of their beaks. Even they knew how stupid she looked. 

"Are you really not here?" The question was asked more to herself than anyone else, gaze falling on the glistening blue ocean.

Of course, what was the use in yelling inland when he had arrived from the depths of the water. 

Practically running over to the water's edge (yet still being mindful of tripping), she added knee deep into the crystalline liquid. "Hey? I'm sorry about running from you," she wasn't, "but I would like to see you again, with clothes on!" The last part was added on hastily, she didn't need another unwanted eye full. 

Nothing happened for a good minute or so, despair coating her expression as she waited. 

Maybe she really had dreamed it all up, how on earth could someone actually be a mermaid? Changkyun, for once, was right and it was horrible to admit. He was never going to let her live it down, constantly bringing it back up whenever he had the chance.

'What a waste of time,' With a spoiled mood and equally sour grimace, she began to retreat from the water with grumbles and profanities. 

"You're back? I thought you had left." The voice had her spinning back around, almost twisting her ankle with the speed. 

There he was in all his clothed glory! 

Though this time he didn't look as chipper, his smile nonexistent as he watched her with sadness swimming in his chocolate eyes. "You rejected me."

He said it with such finality and passion that her heart clenched, despite the fact that she thought of him as borderline insane. The shell caught her attention, retracting light as beautifully as the night before, the beams of light spreading across the beach. 

"Rejected? What do you mean?" He had not moved from his spot near the shore, his pouty lips pursed as he looked to be deep in thought. Weird was one way to describe him, but downright stunning was another. 

From his perfectly sculpted cheeks down to his dainty toes, it was as though he had been sculpted from marble and given life. 

"You gave me my shell back, you don't want to be my bride," she blinked once, twice and a third time before stepping forward, not missing the way his expressive eyes lit up. 

"I don't want to be your bride because I don't know who you are. You walked out of the ocean and ran up to me, it's not exactly the most normal thing to do," his head tilted, wet strands of hair flopping in front of his line of vision. 

"I'm Kihyun," she repeated his name, the letters rolling pleasantly off of her tongue. Kihyun also seemed to appreciate it since his eyes almost disappeared with the magnitude of his simper. 

"I'm (y/n)," here she was, introducing herself to the person she had ran away from just hours earlier. Funny how the world worked. 

He padded towards her, this time a lot slower and with more caution than yesterday - like he was making sure that she wouldn't run away. Unless he did something very creepy, she wasn't planning on bolting this time. Now that he was a little closer, she noticed that he had very old looking clothing, nothing too tattered but still worn out. 

"So, you said you were a, um, mermaid?" 

"Merperson, mermaids are a specific race with a hunger for humans. We're not like that," His smile did not help her nerves, every cell in her body begging her to return to the flat. 

"M-merperson? Wow, that's interesting," cursing her voice crack, she swallowed as his arm outstretched, his expression pleading, persuading her to take his hand. 

Her hard headedness was definitely going to be the death of her, she thought while holding his surprisingly dry hand. His hold was loose and non threatening, allowing her to move away if she wished to do so.

"Come, I'll show you my home. I know you don't believe me," he had seen right through her, her lips curling upwards into a sheepish smile as she followed a step or two behind him. 

If she was going to be murdered now, then she only had her own stupidity to blame for it; Changkyun would revive her and kill her again just for taking this stranger's hand. She could already hear his lecture, 'are you stupid?' He would say, 'why the hell would you take a random person's hand?! Do you want to die?'

The water hit her feet, the cool temperature chilling her a little as they began walking further and further into the ocean. "Uh, Kihyun?"

He hummed questioningly, unbothered by the water level being so high. Had confusion not being clouding her mind, she would have thought of the sound as melodic. "I can't breathe underwater."

Stopping so suddenly that she slammed into his back, he gasped and muttered a curse. "Shit, here. You have to keep this with you, it'll let you breathe underwater," the pink shell was shoved into her hands and she almost rolled her eyes. 

Safely tucking it away into her bag, she resumed walking, making sure to keep close to him. When the water rose to just below her ears, she could feel her conscience waver. 

What if he had lying? What if he really was trying to kill her? 

But when she took the leap of faith and let herself plummet under the waves, the sound of rushing water in her ears and wetness surrounding her entire figure, she realised that she was doing just fine. True to his word, she was able to breathe perfectly fine, almost like she hadn't gone into the ocean at all. Her eyes did not sting either, the only minor discomfort being that she found it a little hard to stay in one space.

"See," he was smiling like a fool, teeth shining like the brightest pearl, "I wasn't lying."

How he was talking was beyond her, mind working overtime to try and process everything.

The longer she was with him, the more everything seemed like a fever dream. A courting shell to merpeople, it was enough to have anyone questioning their sanity. 

"No," she breathed, bubbles forming rapidly, "you weren't."

Kihyun was definitely in his element, his movements as graceful and as delicate as the leaves in a sakura tree. She felt like a lumbering idiot next to him, his body moving slickly and with purpose as he looped his arm around hers. 

"Hold on, okay? It's going to be quick so brace yourself."

Words that never hit the water were dissolved on her tongue that she nearly swallowed, the rush of the water flowing past her so intense that it was almost crushing. Everything was a blur, the occasional shape of a fish standing out for a millisecond before it was replaced by more blue. 

An agonising twenty seconds passed where she could feel her heartbeat inside her, the thump pulsing around her body loudly before it melted away into nothing. 

They had arrived. 

"Sorry, it's always like that. It takes a while to get used to," at least he had the decency to look apologetic. 

Nodding at his apology, she ignored him in favour of looking around, desperate to absorb everything about the new environment. It was unlike anything she had ever seen before: with schools of fish swimming by and the gigantic glass like dome that extended as far as the eye could see. "Where are we?" 

"We are at Ociana, the home of the merpeople, _my home._ " She had to be dreaming. 

"Wow," Kihyun chuckled, a warmth bubbling in his chest as he swam closer to the dome.

"Let's go in, I want to introduce you to some people," with all caution flying to the wind, she held on tightly and passed through the dome.

* * *

 

From the outside it was underwhelming, not much of what was going on inside could be seen, whereas when you were able to see inside, to view all the commotion of their life, it was a lot more captivating sight. 

This was his home and he loved it every bit. 

Kihyun looked at her awestruck figure, finding her expressions to be rather amusing. With eyes that wide she resembled a puffer fish. "Do you like it?" 

Her snort was unexpected, his lips pulling into a smile quickly as they swam, landing on their feet a few seconds later as they hit the ground. "Of course I do! Everything here is so beautiful!" His heart swelled with pride, the love for his home bleeding through with the puff of his chest. 

It was nearing half 1, the rays from the sun did not reach down this far in the ocean. All the light was produced from the giant glowing crystals lining the dome, illuminating the bustling city. Different kinds of plants littering the path they walked along, some winding up for far that it was impossible to see where they ended.

Yet to him, none of that mattered. In his eyes the most beautiful thing within thousands of miles was her, the gradient glow about her so strong and attractive. It was true what he had said earlier, that whoever found his courting shell was his betrothed. It also meant that an almost unbreakable connection was formed between the merperson and the finder, they were literally bound together for life.

For Kihyun, she was all he could ever need, but he knew well that she did not feel the same way. Humans were fickle creatures that were largely unaware of things that existed around and below them. They were also a destructive species, bringing about chaos for everything good thing they did. 

The walk to his home was short, only a few minutes away from where they had entered. He could only hope his roommate was already awake and ready, he could be a real grouch after freshly waking up. 

"Who am I meeting?" Her voice was like liquid gold, shivers racing down his spine.

"Yoongi and Jooheon, though I'm not too sure if Jooheon will be there," Jooheon had been staying over after the events that gone down, offering him comfort as he stared up at the dark ceiling of his room - wondering why he was doomed to have someone who didn't want him.

His house was modest, not too small but not too large either. It was built from the clay of the sea bed, sculpted masterfully into a building that refused to wilt, flowers and sea anemones decorating the outside.

"Your house is nice, it's pretty," sure maybe the outside was pretty, however when Yoongi was annoyed, it was anything but. 

"Thank you," He really meant it, every inch of the place was a reflection of himself and Yoongi, of all the things they had done together and all the personal demons they had conquered.

The door closed behind them, the soft tingling of the chimes alerting any other people in the house that someone had entered. Alert it did, as only a few seconds later, a body shooting down the hallway and almost knocked Kihyun unconscious.

"Hyung! You're back!" Jooheon's dimples cut through his cheeks, his excitement peaking before rapidly deflating at he spotted the girl beside him. "Is this…?" No further words were needed, and unspoken understanding passing through the two friends. 

"This is (y/n)," the words 'my would be bride' were not said but the meaning was clear. 

"I'm Jooheon, it's nice to meet you," With a brief shake of their hands, she looked at ease, body relaxing from its tense state. Jooheon had a way of doing that with a simple smile and wave. "Yoongi-hyung is out, but he'll be back soon so you can meet him then," Kihyun caught his gaze, biting back a bitter smile.

"How about you look at the gardens? Hyung puts a lot of effort into growing his own food, you would like it," she nodded and for once Kihyun was glad that she did whatever she pleased. 

After she was safely left in the garden, the space vast and sure to keep her occupied for a good while, Jooheon turned to his elder with so much concern in his stare that it made his stomach turn. 

"Why?" Was the single word spoken and it held so much weight, the grief behind the answer suffocating him. If he carried on like this, he would bring about his own end. 

"She doesn't accept me, Jooheon. I thought maybe bringing her here would make it stop hurting so much," it was like a dull ache in his chest, incessant and pounding everything since she had given back his shell and run away, "You know what happens to us when you're not accepted."

It ate you from the inside out, caving in your ribs and suffocating you. You were doomed to live alone with constant pain, to survive with the fact that you were not wanted. They had one chance at finding their partner and if it was not taken, then that was it. 

"Maybe she needs time, humans don't feel things the same way as we do. They take longer to feel things," He was right and it stung, his entire chest on fire with every second that passed.

Ever since he had felt that tell tale tug on his heart, informing him that his shell nad been found, he had been so excited. He was finally going to meet the person he was destined for, the person who he would be with forever. And to find out that she didn't even want him? After years of waiting? That was the worst punishment anyone could face. 

"You have a human, they work differently to us, Kihyun. You shouldn't expect her to act the same way as us, she doesn't feel the pull," Yoongi's familiar comforting drawl cut through the air, the tingling of the chimes drowned out. "They're weird creatures that do as they please. The most you can do is spend time together and go from there."

He knew that, he obviously knew that! It was just the hurt in his heart that refused to cease that bothered him endlessly. "I know, Yoongi," The shorter man sighed, his hand resting on Kihyun's shoulder comfortingly. 

Jooheon, who had slipped out during Yoongi's return, came back with her, chatting away about the differences between merpeople music and the things she listened to.

"This is Yoongi, my best friend," Kihyun's voice sliced through the air, her attention quickly going to the new man in the room. 

"Oh, you're super cute," the bright flush that covered Yoongi's cheeks was enough to have the other two sniggering, trying desperately to hide their choked back laughter behind their sleeves, "I'm (y/n)."

Yoongi grunted, still slightly embarrassed from the sudden compliment. "Thank you," and as soon as she smiled, Yoongi understood exactly why she had been the one to pick up Kihyun's shell. In fact he envied Kihyun a little. "I hope you treat Kihyun well."

"Why do you smell like fish? Holy hell, take a shower," she really hadn't missed Changkyun's nagging at all, his comments getting old rather fast. "Did you swim in the ocean?" 

"Perhaps I did," his look turned funny, grin turning into a grimace as he watched her smell her armpits in an exaggerated manner, "always refreshing. You should try it some time," ugh, talking with her was always a gamble. It was ridiculously hard to determine what she was going to say next and if it would be appropriate or not. 

Most of the time it wasn't.

Her clothes stuck oddly to her body, creases and water stains evident along the fabric as she walked awkwardly toward the bathroom, trousers sticking to her legs. "Oh and Changkyun?" He stopped, looking over his shoulder to listen to her nonsense. 

"You can come to my room later to suck me off," she disappeared behind the door, a phone tossed towards him - powered on and displaying a picture. 

Barely managing to catch it, the device nearly slipping between his fingers, Changkyun glared hard at the screen; willing it to burst into flames. 

Displayed brightly, mockingly on the screen was a slightly blurry picture, the camera lens covered with little droplets of water that remained in the image. There was the brilliant azure sea, tinted with some green and yellow from the shoreline and above there was a painting of white, fluffy clouds and a cerulean expand, untainted by weather or emotion. In fact, nothing about the scenery was inherently weird. It was the person captured that had made his breath hitch in his throat. 

A man whose face was slightly out of focus, grinned largely, looking not at the camera but at something behind it, fingers curled into a parting bye with his own clothes sticking to his slim build. Rose coloured locks had turned a deep fuchsia, wetted by the liquid that lapped around his bare feet, winding round his legs and flicking against his skinny calves. 

Changkyun knew exactly who that was, and when he spotted the barest glimmer of the shell clutched against his chest, he knew that she had thrown herself in too deep.

* * *

 

The sound of the waves and sea was comforting, bringing ease to her soul that twisted and turned, eyes heavy but still refusing to close. Everything that had happened was so much to take in, so many new things to see and consider. 

A whole new world apart from her own, and Kihyun was trusting her to keep it a secret, he was trusting her with what was essentially his life. Should anyone know about what went on in the depths of the unknown, Kihyun and everyone else would surely die. 

Sleep evaded her, the clock showing the bold red numbers '02:04'. What could she do? Every time she closed her eyes, she saw blue and green, sea anemones and aquatic life swimming behind them. But most significant of all, she saw Kihyun. 

Every blink, the black behind her eyes transformed into his consuming hues, the delicious brown that looked like what a hug felt like, the gentle sparkle within them staying imprinted into her mind's eye. Every inhale there was the salty taste of the air, of the water that caressed his skin and stuck to her clothes. Everything and everything that could relate to him, she was thinking of it.

It was beyond ridiculous. 

She'd only known of him for a week and she already felt her rationality slip? That wasn't plausible and she would sooner eat her own vomit than admit that Kihyun was getting to her. 

No way in hell was she forming a crush on the silly merman.

* * *

 

"You're back again? So soon?" Yoongi's voice was dull, but his gummy smile spoke more than his words, hand going to ruffle her head of messy hair. "You might as well start paying to live here, Kiddo," 

"I've only been here nine times," Yoongi raised a brow, holding back a laugh.

"In three weeks. Like I said," his hand was outstretched, other hand resting on his hips expectantly, "I want compensation for you eating all our food."

Pushing away his hand, she tutted and looked behind him, trying to get a clear view of the house behind him. Kihyun had gone in ten minutes earlier and had yet to come out, prompting her to knock continuously on the door until Yoongi had opened it with a bed head and irritation.

"Your compensation is my presence," Yoongi scoffed, tugging playfully on a strand of her hair, "oi!".

Instead of apologising, he only chuckled. For someone with such a gruff attitude, he sure warmed up quickly. "He'll be out in a few minutes, he's trying to fix something, come in." Stepping aside, she walked down the hallway she'd come to know like that back of her hand, and into the living room. 

"It's well past noon, you were still sleeping? Thank god I came," Her teasing was met with a light shove, a quick grin thrown in her direction before he sauntered back to his room, intent on getting his 40 (more like 400) winks. It was heartbreaking actually how fast Yoongi had come to trust her, even the simple act of leaving her alone enough to make her heart soften with fondness. 

She had been looking over the tiny ornaments when footsteps came from behind her, slightly heavy boots thudding along the floor. "You ready?" Kihyun asked, his voice reaching her ears before she saw his face. 

"Me, ready? I don't think so, I think I'll need a little longer," rotating a full 180, she almost choked at the sight of him. 

Before he had been wearing a simple striped top and jeans, nothing too elaborate. However, he now looked dressed to impress: a dark turtleneck and white flared trousers, chunky combat boots finishing off his look. Though it was probably the gentle upwards pull of his lips that had her heating up.

"Um, you look really nice. Explains why you were taking so long," Kihyun looked down, pretending to be surprised. 

"This old thing? I only just threw it together, psh," the bluff was clear and obvious, his cheeks flushing a soft pink from embarrassment. "Let's get going?" He cleared his throat roughly, avoiding eye contact. 

Despite the stumbling start to the walk, Kihyun had recovered quickly and was back to his bubbly self, his hand slipping into hers with a gentle squeeze. He was a confident man with a touch of humility if the embarrassed shushing he did whenever he was complimented was anything to go by. It was cute, too cute even.

"We're going to the Water Gardens. It's not too far but it is a little hard to navigate through," it was also the spot where lovers came to spend time together away from prying eyes, and quite conveniently, he had left out that specific detail.

He didn't want a case of the runaway bride so early on.

They passed under a glass tunnel, turtles and eels alike swimming just metres above their heads. It was like being in an aquarium, just a lot less artificial. 

Nonetheless, the end of the tunnel was not so bright, a dull neon light emitting from the dim cavern. Sinister was a better way of describing it, a complete juxtaposition from the lively foliage and flora that they had sped past. 

"It's a little dark in here," only one pink crystal provided any light, and even that wasn't very helpful - she could barely see her hands in front of her face. 

His hand left hers, the sudden loss of warmth a little jarring. Kihyun began to circle the space, his arm outstretched with the pads of his fingers roaming along every surface he could reach. Within seconds the room was glowing, brilliant peals of light coming from the walls in a variety of colours. From yellow to purple, the crystals along the perimeter burned with potent energy, bathing the room in an ethereal light. 

"Not anymore," his sentence was punctuated with a teasing smirk, the corners of his mouth pulling towards at his almost cocky retort. 

Luckily for him, she was busy running her own digits along the walls, mimicking Kihyun's earlier motions. "Whoa, this place just gets cooler and cooler!" It was impossible for him not to feel warmer watching her play around, his heart beating erratically in his chest. Partially it was the fault of the bond, yet it was also her as a person. Three weeks with someone who was so open and embracing was bound to get him feeling some kind of way. 

Rejection had been on the horizon but maybe with the way things were going, it could pass by him.

"They're the same thing that line the underside of the dome, but they're different colours. Look," nails raked over the crystal, his hands falling away from the stone with his palms coated with a thin layer of yellow pigment, "you can use this as a hair dye." He demonstrated by picking at a delicate strand of his hair, rubbing it between his yellow stained hands before letting go, allowing the strand to fall flat.

Picking at her own tresses, Kihyun quickly got the hint. Eagerly, he jogged over, waiting for her to pick out a colour she liked before rubbing his hands all over it, palms absolutely lathered in the chosen tint. 

"It does wash off, right Hyunnie?" The nickname almost sent him into a panic, his words were stammered and stuttered - his lisp becoming more prominent.

"Y-yeah, it washes out with hot water." For something so small and as silly as colouring her hair, it felt oddly sensual. His mind produced images of her body between his legs, staring at his doe eyed with parted lips, begging for him to carry on, to rake his nails across her scalp and-

'What the hell?!' Cheeks burning at the dark route his mind had suddenly taken, he couldn't believe himself. Why was he thinking such dirty things at the most unerotic of situations?

It wasn't long until he was finished, multiple strands highlighted and accentuated with the aid of his nimble and talented hands. "Thank you, I really like it!" 

If she carried on being so adorable, he wasn't sure if he could carry on being a calm and collected gentleman. So he swallowed hard, gulping down his feelings and the hole in his heart and laughed. 

"It suits you, sweetheart," 

Her eyes were smouldering, ensnaring as they bore into his own with an almost primal hunger. "Does it really?" This was a dangerous game they were playing. 

"Yes," he blinked slowly, a subtle bite to his lower lip, "it looks _really_ good." Whether or not he was still talking about her hair was anyone's guess, but the game they were playing was enough to have his pulse picking up.

She took a single step forward, tongue gliding across her lips, eyeing him teasingly with a sultry drag of her eyes- up and down. 

"I hope so," and he was done for.

* * *

 

Changkyun was getting tired of this nonsense. The distinct scent of the beach and the sea always lingering around her, like she was permanently bathing in it. She came back completely dry most days but he could see some strands of her hair stuck together, or a barnacle on her trouser leg. 

Today, she had returned with coloured hair.

Normally he wouldn't have thought twice, it was her hair after all. It was the fact that there was not a single hair salon that offered hair colouring treatments in the whole seaside town.

"Who were you with?" She looked a little out of it, eyes glossy over and unfocused, head jerking in the direction of his voice. 

"With Kihyun," He really wished she would lie to him sometimes, yet she never did. It was always the honest and blatant truth. 

It was time he said it to her because Kihyun would rather die than tell her himself. He knew his hyung too well. 

Patting the space beside him, he called her name and gestured for him to sit. "Come here, please?" He was pleased to note that she sat with no complaints, quietly complying with his instructions.

"What's up, Kyun?" How could he phrase it in a way that didn't startle her? Suddenly everything else in his life seemed very insignificant. 

The warm tone of the lights hit her hair, emphasising the colours streaked through the strands further. "He said that he was a mer person, right?" she nodded, "and that you picked up his shell?" Another nod. "Did he tell you what would happen if you didn't accept?"

Changkyun felt small, the intensity of her stare backing him into a mental corner.

"What do you mean? How do you know anything about him?" He had blown her off completely after seeing the picture, and now he was here giving out ominous messages about Kihyun.

"Because I'm a Mer person too. I came from the same place as him so I know exactly what he's like," it took a few seconds but he saw the exact moment she had realised the implications of his statement. 

Her mouth opened and closed soundlessly, words failing her. 

"I came to the land and left Ociana. It's the reason why I have a flat here, because I come back time to time," No questions were asked and she did not question him on his choice - something he was eternally grateful for because he could now slip onto the topic of Kihyun easier. "When you found Kihyun-hyung's shell, you became his betrothed, his bride. But because you're human, you didn't feel the same pull he did and you gave him his shell back. That's the same as a death sentence to us," her pupils were wide, lips pressed tightly together. 

"What do you mean?" 

"The shell is picked up by the other person for a reason, and when you rejected him, you rejected fate. The consequence for that is constant heartache, a pain that grows with every day that passes by. It's there to remind you that your destiny is to be alone unless you are accepted. Hyung has been in pain since you first turned away from him." maybe it wasn't his place to be telling her all this, to play the wingman. "I can help you sort this out, but you have to be sure, you have to be certain that you're willing to follow through," but he sure as hell would take the time anyway. 

It was silent, not a single peep from either person. 

"Okay," she breathed lowly, "I trust you Changkyun."

* * *

 

It was the last night before her holiday was over and the sun had disappeared, the only light being from the moon and the stars that peeked out from behind the clouds. Night had fallen hours ago and she should have been asleep, obviously she wasn't. 

Her feet slid against the rocks, the smooth surface gliding underfoot as she made her way into the cave, trying to be extra careful. 

Everything looked so surreal under the moon, the peace and tranquility almost unearthly - only the visuals of the crashing waves to keep her occupied. 

Finding a spot to sit wasn't too hard, and to be honest she wasn't too bothered about staying dry either. She was here for one thing, and it was going to wreck her to say it. 

"Kihyun?" it was barely a whisper, his name disappearing with the cool breeze that raised her flesh in little goosebumps, "can you come here please?" He had always said that he was one call away, mentioning it continuously with his usual cheeky grin and poke to the belly. 

The wind whistled, the cave providing little to no shelter from the elements. It wasn't due to storm so she wasn't worried about the tide rising, she was more concerned with talking to him once more. "Kihyun?" She tried again, willing him to appear with her eyes tightly shut, fingers curled into fists. 

An eternity seemed to pass, seconds ticking by painfully slow. 

"You called?" Eyes snapping wide open, her heart swelled to twice its size upon seeing him. 

"You're here," he settled down beside her, thighs touching with his hand placed on top of hers, fingers locking together. "I thought you weren't going to come."

Kihyun seemed to glow, a healthy aura around him as moon light and shadows accentuated the curves of his face. "Why wouldn't I? This is the last day you're here."

He sounded stable enough when he spoke, no hint of grief or upset carrying through into his voice. Had she not been paying close attention, she would have believed him. 

"I can always come back," everything was so silent, background noises washing into static; nothing aside the two of them existed.

"I know. And I'll always be waiting for you," and he then was crying, soft sniffles punctuating the air as he wiped at his cheeks, trying to stop the tears that spilled, "you mean so much to me. Even if I've only known you for a month, you're so special to me." 

She meant the world to him. She was everything he had ever wanted and _so much more_. From her kindness to her sarcastic and sometimes brash sense of humor, she was perfect. 

"Well I'm glad you feel the same because," his lashes were wet, tiny droplets hanging on for dear life, "I'm staying. I'm staying for you, Kihyunnie."

His mouth was agape, open wide as he stared at her delicate simper. "I really like you, Kihyun. I'm not leaving. I can work from the flat so why wouldn't I?" 

He couldn't believe his ears. The day he had been dreading so much was finally here and now she was telling him that she wouldn't be leaving. He almost pinched himself to make sure he wasn't dreaming. 

"Y-you're not going?" He felt like a fool, stammering and stuttering over his words that seemed to stick to the back of his throat, his shell clutched tightly in his opposite hand, the edges nearly cutting into his palm with how hard he was holding it.

She shook her head. "No," her simper widened, hand travelling along his side before opening up his fist, taking a glittering pink shell in her hands, "how else can I be your bride if I'm not with you?"


	2. See

The world was calm, peaceful and uneventful as she sat on the couch, TV playing in the background as the voice in her ear chattered away happily. It was a cool day, the clouds rolling and disappearing into mist that settled over the ocean in waves. 

"-and you know what's the worst thing? That you're not here and everything's so boring." She couldn't truthfully say that she had been listening to every word running from Jeongguk's mouth, but she did hear that sentence. 

Honestly, she would have laughed if she wasn't so busy rolling her eyes. 

"That's only because you don't have anyone else to pester. Suck it up, bunny," she could almost see his nose scrunch up in aggravation (hence the nickname) as he sighed. 

His tone was softer, much more mellow as she heard the sounds of movement. "Noona, it's been months. We all miss you, when will you visit?" Truthfully, she missed them all too. Of course she was thrilled to have been living so close to her boyfriend and not have a hard-to-maintain long distance relationship, but being away from her friends was hard. 

Jooheon and such did come up every other day, yet she did sometimes ache to go back to the city for a while - inhale it's polluted fumes just for the fun and nostalgia of it. 

"Soon, Gukkie. I hope so anyway," more shifting, he always was restless.

"Why did you move there anyway? I know you and Kyunnie-Hyung have an agreement and you have something there, but we never had a solid answer," she couldn't blame the younger boy for being so curious; she would be too. 

But how did you explain it to people, that you had picked up a shell and automatically become engaged to the merperson who it belonged to? That she had moved to the coast to be with him?

If she had said this out loud to him, he would surely laugh. Instead she only hummed, shrugging, though the action remained unseen by Jeongguk. "That's an interesting question you have there, bunny. Too bad you'll never get an answer."

"You're so rude, aren't you supposed to be nice to people younger than you, Ahjumma?" 

"Oi, brat, this is exactly the reason why I don't visit," hearing his laughter down the line, she was obligated to smile too, "tell everyone that they're invited to come down whenever, everyone except you," she added quickly, shaking her head at his melodramatic whine. 

"Nooona~,"

"No amount of whining will change my mind," front door opening, the sight of both Jooheon and Yoongi made the call with the bratty maknae seem pointless, as much fun as he was to tease, "call me never, bye Gukkie," not even letting him breathe a word of protest, she ended the call and laced her fingers together menacingly, staring both men down.

Yoongi took no notice, snatching the remote control from right under her nose and curling up on the couch like he owned the joint. "Any reason why you're here?," she asked, nailing Yoongi with a withering look, "Usually Kihyun has to drag you here."

Not even sparing her a glance, he waved off her concerns and flickered between the channels, finally settling on cupcake wars. Something she found mildly amusing.

"Hyung's gone to the council, filling out papers and such to make it official that you're his betrothed," Jooheon informed, taking up residence in the spare spot beside her, curling up in an equal feline-esque manner to Yoongi. 

"Council?" Echoing him, she noticed how Yoongi seemed to be paying no attention to the TV, his eyes on the screen but his mind miles away.

If Jooheon had noticed her lack of focus on himself, he didn't give any outward clues. "At least 6 months after someone finds your shell, you tell the council so they know what to expect," he had phrased that rather ominously and had realised his mistake by the narrowed look directed towards him. "Not like that, just so they know whether or not any additional measures need to be taken."

Still not quite understanding what he meant, she nodded regardless. The last thing she needed was an informational lecture about the workings of their government. 

As much as she loved Oceania, the politics wasn't at the highest point on her list of interests and as long as she could visit whenever she pleased, she had no objections. 

"You'll be given oxygen implants since you're human, so Kihyun can take his shell back and walk inland for more time," Yoongi's drawl was soft, speaking lowly as he remained in a fetal like position. 

"Oxygen implants?" Jooheon smiled, eyes disappearing as hs chuckled at her expression; the scrunched up nose and grimace making his day livelier. 

Patting her thigh comfortingly, Jooheon shook his head, "They don't hurt, I promise."

Still, she was skeptical. Anything with the word 'implants' reminded her of surgery. "How would you know, Heonie? You're a merperson." Her question wasn't intended to be rude, more so curious. 

However, it wasn't Jooheon who had responded, but Yoongi's accented voice that had cut in. "Because Jimin had them done, and he would have cried at the slightest pain," his response left more questions than answers.

Who on earth was Jimin?

Seemingly sensing the question that was going to come, Yoongi's eyes closed, his burning ember hues hidden from view as he sighed, an almost melancholy smile tugging at his delicate lips. "He was my betrothed, a human like you. He passed away almost four years ago in surgery from heart complications." 

Oh.

"Oh, Yoongi. I'm so sorry," a single eye opened, chocolate iris meeting hers as he shook his head.

"It's okay. He died peacefully, he wasn't hurting," and despite the overwhelming sadness that he was unable to cover swirling in his hues, his expression was serene - a gentle simper stretching across his lips before he resumed watching cupcake wars. 

Jooheon squeezed her hand, shaking his head as he mimed for her to stand up, gesturing with his head towards the bedroom; his concerned gaze ghosting Yoongi's still figure. 

So with a quick swallow, she followed him despite being lost in thought.

It made sense now why he had been so adamant on her giving Kihyun a chance, why he always regarded the land with a mixture of hesitation and nervousness. It has taken three months for Yoongi to come on shore and visit the apartment, always declining her offer with a shake of his head and soft whisper of gratitude for the invitation.

There was always something that followed him around, weighing him down whenever he was reminded of her species or of the land. She'd chalked it down to dislike but now knew it ran so much deeper. 

Yoongi truly was someone to be reckoned with. She couldn't imagine losing someone so dear and being able to hide the true extent of the grief. Hopefully he was getting support, she would most definitely be offering hers. 

The bedroom door closed, Jooheon already sat on the bed as he patted the spot beside himself.

Taking the seat, she waited patiently for him to speak first, watching as his brows drew together and his lips pursed. He looked troubled, or concerned - his expressions tended to blur together whenever he was feeling something strongly. 

"I know this is early to ask, but I wanted to know if you'll stay here forever?" Not quite understanding what he was alluding to, she blinked. "On land," he elaborated, making her frown.

Was there something wrong with her staying on land?

"I-i can't answer that, Heonie. I don't understand what you mean?" She had the faintest suspicion that she was he was asking for Kihyun but that was just that, a suspicion. 

His eyes closed for a few seconds as he sighed, his hues enveloping her completely in a blustering stare. "Hyung would never make you choose, but I want to know."

"Jooheon, I would have to stay on land. I can't give up my entire life, everything I've ever known is on land. My friends and family, my home. Isn't there a way to do it both ways? Where neither of us give up everything for the other?" Her mind was racing, hidden anxiety that had been tucked in the dark recesses of her mind coming to haunt her and spill put in uneven waves. 

How could she? Kihyun was her world but she had an entire galaxy.

"Because I can't, I know it's horrible and selfish and I'm a terrible girlfriend. I love him but I can't do it." 

And what neither of them realised was that Kihyun had heard every word, originally having been looking for his friend and lover, his smile falling from his face as he swallowed and turned back around, paying no mind to Yoongi who called his name. 

All he cared about was getting rid of the rushing in his ears and the heaviness in his heart. 

* * *

 

The kitchen was bright, the light of the crystals filtering through to mimic daylight and illuminate the table he was sat at. More specifically the photo album she has gifted him for their 6 month anniversary, an object he had much trouble getting into his home dry but still treasured nonetheless. 

Pictures of the water and the setting sun filled the pages, images of multiple people littering the book throughout. The book wasn't all about them as one would have expected, instead it was more of a collection about memories and sentimental events. 

There were pics of Yoongi looking mildly disgusted and tired, and others where you could barely see the dark hues of his eyes because of his gummy smile. 

Flicking further through the book, he paused on a picture of her. She was stood outside of a glass building, the windows coloured and beautifully arranged while her arm rested around the waist of a woman she'd identified as Chaeyoung. The woman had a youthful glow around her, her eyes wide and doe like with an innocence that almost seemed false. 

Kihyun sighed, closing the album and running a hand through his hair. 

He couldn't stop thinking about what she had said just a few days ago. That she didn't want to give up her life to stay underwater, to stay in Oceania forever. 

And he understood, he really did. He would never expect her to just up and pack everything, goave behind everything she'd created and built - he would be a terrible person if he even thought of it.

So then why was there something weighing him down? Why did it feel like he had been punched when he heard her say what she did to Jooheon?

"What's wrong?" The voice startled him, a mug following the voice seconds later as it landed on the table across from him, Yoongi's face coming into view only seconds later. "And don't say nothing, if it was nothing you would have gotten over it three days ago when you left the apartment within minutes of entering," nothing passed his friend's keen gaze. 

There was no way he could hide it anymore, not when Yoongi already knew something was up. 

"I feel… Bad." 

Yoongi only hummed, taking a sip from his drink. "Why?"

"Because," Kihyun started, "I don't want her to feel tied down, like she has to move here to be with me. I know how much she values her freedom and I would never want her to give it up-" He stopped, shaking his head.

"But?" 

"But I can't help but want more time with her. I know she comes as much as she can but the shell only gives a limited amount of time. And I can't stay on land for long either because I need the shell. We're happy now but I don't know how long it'll last. Neither of us want to give up our lives," Yoongi looked at him, expressionless as he swallowed his mouthful. "I-i don't know Yoongi. Sometimes I wonder if I can do it. I love her, I love her so much but I can't help but think about throwing my shell out again, to make us forget."

It was silent, the weight of his words sinking in fully. His shoulders slumped and his head rested in his hands, desperately looking at Yoongi for answers.

"Kihyun," Yoongi started, his stare blazing.

"Yeah?"

"I was the exact same as you. I had no idea whether I should've let Jimin go or if I should've held on to him with all I was worth," nimble fingers traced the rim of the mug, eyes flickering downwards momentarily, "I chose not to let go. Even if he was human, and I wasn't. Even though the land and the ocean are two opposites, I held on and I'm glad I did. Because you know what?"

Kihyun didn't answer, consumed by the smouldering onyx eyes that burned with something indiscernible. 

"Because we made it work. I loved him while he was alive and I love him even now. If I had thrown my shell out again because of my insecurities, I would have never been able to experience that. What it meant to love someone unconditionally," the mug was pushed away, the chair Young was sat on scraping as he stood up, "Yoo Kihyun you will be the fool I pity if you throw it all away."

Yoongi's back was turned, no further words exchanged he walked out of the room and up the stairs. 

He was right. He would be an idiot to let her slip when he was so head over heels. There was things he could do, things they could both do and he knew exactly what. 

Yet even as he left the kitchen to do what he needed, he noticed that the mug remained relatively full whereas Yoongi's gaze did not. 

•••

He knew deep within his gut that she would be here, where their first date (if you could even call it that) was: The Water Gardens. 

Her back was turned to him, fingers coloured with a vibrant red as she threatened them through her hair, staining the strands with the outlandish tint. Unable to held the fond smile on his lips, he walked over and gently took a seat beside her.

"Hey," he started, watching as she stopped her actions and cast him a weary glance. 

"Hi," the reply was court but not hostile. As to be expected after he had basically ignored her for three days. 

Slowly taking her hands, he intertwined his digits with her own pigmented ones. "I'm sorry for ignoring you. I needed time to think," her hum was subtle and the guilt that gnawed at his heart made him frown. "I want to know what you think. About us and about this situation."

A beat or two of quiet filled the room, the crystals glowing in wait. "I don't know Kihyun. That's the thing, I love you, I really do. I wouldn't be here otherwise, but I don't want to leave the land. I was wondering about the options we had, like the oxygen implant thing and I-" she huffed, using her free hand to rub her face. " I don't know."

He was rather grateful that she had mentioned the implant, knowing instantly that Yoongi must have been the one to inform her of what it was. It had only been done a handful of times considering humans didn't pick up shells too often, and Jimin had been the most recent recipient of the transplants. 

"That is the best option. The oxygen implants mean that you won't need my shell and you can stay for however long you want. And if I have my shell, I can stay on land for weeks at a time," it was the solution that solved all their problems and he was immensely grateful that he had taken time to think thoroughly before saying anything. 

Yoongi's words may have been unorthodox but he he was right. Fate had picked her for a reason and he was not one to go against fate if he could help it. 

"If that's what it takes for us to compromise, then of course. If getting implants means I can spend more than 6 hours down here, then I'm happy to have them," there was nothing he adored more than the shine of joy in her eyes, her lips brushing against his cheek and sending them into a pink flush.

However her brows soon knitted together, and unanswered question weighing heavy. "Why can Changkyun stay on land? He only takes comes once in a while."

Kihyun shook his head, the thought of the reckless maknae making him laugh. "He's a rough boy. He gave up life in sea by grinding his shell to bits and swallowing it, something about wanting to experience the world from behind a blue tinted lense."

"Did you just say swallowing a shell?" Trust her to focus on that part. 

"Yes, I said swallowing a shell. Merpeople can do that to live permanently on land but they can never return to their home. Changkyun chose his own path and I support him." The topic of losing your identity was widely debated, but it had denied Changkyun's wish to explore the unknown - who were they to deny him?

Faint lights refracted, painting the room in rainbows and bouncing off the walls. The scene was picturesque, almost pulled out of a painting. 

Thumb rubbing over her knuckles, he heard her shift. 

"Yoongi isn't over Jimin," she stated it like a fact and he knew it was. They all did. Yoongi may have been able to hide it well, but he had never truly gotten over his first love. And the fact that he never received any closure, only finding out about Jimin's death through gossip after waiting for weeks, made it worse.0

"I know. He feels everything so deeply but he refuses to show it. A little like you," the gentle dig had her sighing, "the fourth anniversary is coming up soon, he deserves to have something."

"Yeah, he does."

* * *

 

The flat was full, the chattering voices of three people filling the otherwise silent living space, Hoseok's animated laughter and sunny smile bringing warmth and joy.

"Namjoon tried to cut the onion but he was holding the knife up upside down," the story itself was funny, but what made it hilarious was the over the top sound effects he produced and the miming of the actions being done. "He didn't even realise he'd been doing anything wrong."

With a shake of her head, she sighed animatedly. "He's a genius but he has almost no common sense. I wonder how he walks down the stairs without giving himself a concussion," the comment was intended as a joke, Hoseok's laughter attesting to that. 

However it was destiny that Changkyun would always be interrupted, his mouth opening just as the front door gave way to two gleeful young men: Jooheon and Minhyuk. 

Minhyuk had already been running, racing with his arms wide open for a hug before he realised that there was more than one person in the room. "Oh?" he made a soft noise regarding Hoseok with slight confusion before landing on Changkyun, "Kyunnie!" Within that instant, the hug that was meant for her was bestowed upon the youngest, arms squashing him as he hissed out a greeting. 

"H-hey Hyung," he managed to push out, released seconds later from the vice like grip with a soft smile on his lips. 

Though it was erased as quickly as had appeared, a sharp ' _Ow!_ ' leaving him as Minhyuk delivered a resounding smack to his arm, the sound of the connection making the others wince. 

"Bastard, why do you not tell us when you're here? Are you asking for a beating?" Mildly entertained by the display, they watched (including Hoseok who was a little bemused at most) with increasing amusement, "Is it so hard to tell us quickly? You know news carries."

Minhyuk's bottom lip jutted outward, before he shook his head, stepping back. "I'll deal with you later," a gulp, "I'm Minhyuk! It's nice to meet you!" The sudden change in demeanour was enough to give anyone whiplash, especially Hoseok who nodded politely, offering his own slightly fearful smile.

"I'm Jooheon," Dimples that would have anyone melting, softened Hoseok right away, the full force of his beaming grin momentarily stunning the two mermen as they shook his hand. 

"I'm Hoseok! It's nice to meet you," a sly glance was aimed towards Changkyun, "I assume you guys already know each other."

It was Jooheon who laughed at this, settling happily in the middle of her and Changkyun, "Oh we know Kyun well enough."

"Mhm, we all know each other," Minhyuk sat down on the other end of the couch, closer to Hoseok than the others "what brings you two here? She doesn't get many visitors, lonely girl."

Ignoring the sounds of irritation and shout of 'oi!', Hoseok instantly warmed up and grabbed Minhyuk's hand. 

"We have a holiday so I decided to tag along with Chan nd see the coast. It's quiet here and the beach is pretty," the interaction was natural, no hint of forced conversation or awkward body language. She always had admired that about Hoseok, his ease with new people, "what do you usually do? It's a little…"

"Plain?" Jooheon finished with a sheepish nod.

Absentmindedly rubbing Changkyun's arm - the area that'd been abused, she spoke: "well there is wifi here, and Kihyun comes around often. We don't really spend much time by ourselves."

"Kihyun?" He inquired, now fiddling with Minhyuk's thumb.

"My boyfriend," almost brushing the fact off, the last thing she'd expected was to hear a loud gasp of shock, "what? Am I that unlikeable?" Nailing Hoseok with a judgemental glare, he was quick to correct himself (albeit with a stammer to his words.)

"No! I just meant that you ever spoke about him and I was surprised that you hid it," she could almost see him mentally patting himself on the back for his quick save, "that's all."

Rolling her eyes, she made sure to give him a quick nip to his thigh, relishing in his yelp. "He lives a little further from here, but still close. He'll be here soon since these two are here."

Like magic, Kihyun had walked in as soon as she'd finished, like a moth to flame. The gentle smell of seawater and salt wafted in after him, his soft smile and slightly damp hair information them that he hadn't been on land too long.

"Oh, hello," greeting the new guest instantly, his manners never failed, "I'm Kihyun."

To say that Hoseok was shocked would have been inaccurate, he was scared. "I'm Hoseok, we were just talking about you." Kihyun took this in his stride, tilting his head and sitting down beside her, hand resting on her thigh absentmindedly.

"Really? Was the maknae saying anything rude?" 

"Why am I always targeted?" Changkyun's protest earned a few sniggers, multiple hands going to slap him on the back reassuringly. 

"No, nothing at all. But why did you take longer to come? Something up?" He shook his head.

"Ah no not really, Yoongi was hogging the bathroom, was taking his sweet time in there," Hoseok's smile dropped completely off his face, the sudden expression change stopping Kihyun midway through his rambling. "Is everything okay?" 

Hoseok made no movement, a frown marring his features as he dropped Minhyuk's hand. "Did you say Yoongi?" 

Nodding slowly, he confirmed Hoseok's question. 

"Is it Min Yoongi? How do you know him?" 

The atmosphere was turning tense, the boys shifting in their seats at the 180 change in attitude. 

"He's my roommate, how do _you_ know him?" There was no way that Hoseok should have known of Yoongi's existence, not unless one of the others had told him. Yet judging by the symphony of confused visages, Kihyun knew it wasn't any of their doing. 

"I just," swallowing hard, Hoseok breathed in, "he was my best friends boyfriend, his name was Jimin." Everyone stilled this time, exchanging glances with each other before settling on Kihyun's slightly open mouthed figure. 

"Park Jimin? As in the dancer?" Jooheon asked, voice small and Hoseok dipped his head before nodding, trying to hide the glossy sheen starting to build over his eyes.

Blinking away whatever emotions had come to the surface, Hoseok smiled once more. They all noticed instantly that it wasn't as bright as it had been previously. "Yeah, him," he sniffled, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand, "Sorry, he passed away a few years ago and he was so young. I'm just glad he's doing better now."

And with one last sniffle and worried cross over of looks, the subject of Jimin and Yoongi was dropped, to be discussed at a later date - or maybe even never.

* * *

 

Minhyuk and Jooheon had left, only Kihyun remaining with her, sat on the bed with borrowed pajama bottoms and top. Changkyun had retired to bed, with Hoseok following into his own guest room. 

"I can't stand you, why would you throw your salty ass clothing on to me? Idiot," he only laughed at his girlfriend's grumbling, remembering her face as he had thrown the pile of slightly damp clothing on to her dry and freshly washed ones. The scent of the sea immediately covered the smell of the detergent she'd used and it annoyed her endlessly.

"I'm sorry," grabbing her waist, his nose nuzzling into the soft skin of her neck, he looked up at her with doe eyes, "forgive me?" Mischief glinted in his eyes, forcing her into a melodramatic sigh.

Fingers threaded through his soft pink hair, occasionally catching onto the tangled strands that reflected iridescently under the scarce lighting. "Maybe," nose rubbing gently against his, his smile was bright enough to light the room, "if you promise to stop throwing your gross clothes on me."

Like that, the moment was shattered and he groaned, unable to decide on being either disgusted or tickled pink by her brash words - spoken with a cheeky smirk no less. 

"I-" wilting under her stare, he closed his eyes and dug the tips of his fingers into her skin, rubbing circles softly, "promise."

Covers melted under them, the soft fabric shifting with every breath they took, the comfortable silence as refreshing as the morning breeze. 

A soft knock drew them from the haze, blinking away the lull of sleep. "Yeah? Come in."

Hoseok's head popped into the doorway, forehead exposed with a headband holding his hair back. Frown lines dug into his smooth, tan skin. "I'm sorry, am I interrupting?" 

"Oh no, you're okay, Hoseok. Is everything alright?" Kihyun sat up, retracting his limbs from the tangle he had inadvertently caused, casting a sincere smile to the man who lingered awkwardly in the doorway, "come in, make yourself comfy."

The door shut softly with a click, Hoseok's figure perched on the end of the bed. moving closer only after a little coaxing and reassurance. 

"What's on your mind, Hobi?" There had to be something nagging away at him for him to be sitting up on her bed at 12am, his bottom lip trapped between his teeth as he clenched and unclenched his hands in thought. 

Tension showed up on his face as the wrinkles between his brows, as well as the downward pull of his soft lips. 

"Yoongi? He's… Real, isn't he?" Fragility and insecurity bubbled behind his mocha hues, looking them both over to soften the blow that he thought was going to come. 

Kihyun nodded slowly, hand gently squeezing the top of Hoseok's thigh. "He is real, I promise you."

It was still, the world slowing down with nothing but the song of the wind against the windows providing any sound. "Jimin loved him. He loved him to the moon and beyond. He promised that as soon as he had healed from his surgery, he would take us all to meet Yoongi," the words were choppy, his eyes watery as he choked down his emotions, "he never made it. His heart failed and they couldn't revive him. We always knew his heart was too small for his body but it never seemed that way. Jimin had so much love to give and Yoongi-"

Words cut off by a soft sob, whispers of encouragement and solance were passed, fingers rubbing gently circles on his back as he breathed in, wiping his red eyes with the back of his hands. "Yoongi was the person he loved the most. More than dance, more than himself. We'd never seen him so happy. I'm so glad Jimin was at peace when he passed away. But there was things left behind. Jimin left behind things for Yoongi and we never had a way of ever giving them to him because we could never find him."

"He left things for Yoongi?" Kihyun spoke, a twinge of disbelief behind the question as he blinked. There was something from Jimin after all, he hadn't left Yoongi empty handed and alone.

Hoseok nodded. "A box full. We've never opened it since it's not our place but we know nothing of Yoongi apart from the fact that he lived somewhere on the coast."

There was no use in beating around the bush, her mind set as she remembered how empty Yoongi's eyes were how he smiled but his eyes held no life. If she could bring him even the slightest amount of closure she would. 

"We could give it to him?" His expression was one of shock, pupils dilated and lips parted in an 'o' "if that's okay with you all of course," she added quickly - praying she hadn't offended him. 

Suddenly, and rather unexpectedly, Hoseok was smiling, his brilliant simper wide against the skin of her neck as he held her tightly in her hug, arms wound around her waist. "Really?" He breathed, words coming out in soft pants, "you would do that?"

"Of course we would, you all deserve it. Yoongi deserves the closure and you deserve to know that Jimin's gift had been given."

Hoseok was shaking, trembling like a newborn in their hold as her shirt clung to her skin in wet patches from his muffled cries, face buried in the crook of her neck as he sniffled, Kihyun's comforting hums and traced patterns easing Hoseok from his emotional high. 

"Please, for Jimin." He murmured.

"For Jimin." They replied.

* * *

 

The city was a familiar yet intimidating sight, the towering building and the inhabited skylines. It reeked of both home and someplace foreign. If she hadn't grown up here and not on the coast, she would have been terrified of the stark contrast.

It had turned 2pm, the clock on the wall ticking slowly as she waited within Hoseok's apartment, sat patiently on his couch with her phone bouncing on her knees. 

Sure staring at her mobile had some appeal but it grew dull after a while, her eyes beginning to hurt - hence the reckless knocking about it was subjected too. 

Throwing up her phone, the sound of multiple voices made her attention falter and the device clattered to the ground. Thank god Hoseok had carpet lining the floor. 

Figures came into view, the entrance to his flat filling up with a million different bodies, having to squint to try and make out one from the other.

"Hey gu-" 

"Noona!" A wall of muscle crashed into her, arms construction tightly around her midriff as the smell of baby lotion and victoria's secret enveloped her.

There was only one person she knew who sported such an odd combination of scents: Jeon Jeongguk.

"Oh look, it's my baby bunny," the pet name had the others giggling whilst Jeongguk groaned, pulling away and shoving her with monstrous strength, "oh god, more like baby gym rat."

His doe eyes rolled but his nose scrunched up. tell tale to his joy as he sat directly beside her - no thoughts given to his otherwise prominent discomfort with females. It was hard to be awkward around her when she would consistently out do him; his competitive streak was much stronger than his shy nature. "You're so annoying, Noona."

Namjoon was the second one to walk in, his dimples carved into his cheeks as he held out his arms automatically for a hug, immediately dwarfing her with his size. He was nothing short of a loveable teddy bear.

"I haven't seen you for a while, you should come back more often," he said, ridding himself of his shoes and making himself at home on the couch. 

"Yeah," she drawled, silently side eying his wandering hands as he took her phone from the table and attempted to guess the password, "and now that I'm back, I'm reminded of why I don't."

It was Jin's turn to snort, shutting the door behind Hoseok and Taehyung as they filtered in - a box held in Taehyung's steady arms that he placed on the table. "You love us really," he stated it like a fact, her huff matching Taehyung's simper.

"Do I? Seeing all of you again makes my head spin," a loud chorus of 'yah' and 'you're so rude!' echoed. They never did change.

Only when Jin sat down, his space beside Jeongguk, did the aura of the room change from sweet to serious.

As odd as it was to see all of her friends so calm and level headed, it was also needed for what was happening, the box now becoming glaringly obvious. 

Taehyung swallowed his inhibitions down first, "You know him?" 

Though the name wasn't mentioned, it was an automatic assumption (and the correct one at that) that the 'he' that was spoken of was Yoongi. "I know Yoongi, yeah. I see him often," Taehyung nodded, waterline sparkling with unshed tears as his tried his hardest to keep composed, Hoseok's arm wrapping reassuringly around the boy's shoulders. 

"Everything in that box is addressed to Yoongi, his phone too. We've never looked through the contents but we know that they're for him," Jin's visage was cool and collected but she would've been stupid to not see the sorrow. "You'll give them to him safe and sound? Everything?"

"Everything, I promise you Jinnie," the expressions throughout the room were a mixture of things, some of indifference, some of barely held calmness and others with their lips red and swollen from their nibbling. It was becoming unbearable to witness. "What was Jimin like? What kind of person was he?" 

She was curious, she had never met Jimin but he seemed to have left a profound impression on everyone he'd come into contact with. And what better people to ask than his own best friends?

For a moment it was pin drop silent, her heart sinking as she realised that she may have overstepped a boundary. Who was she to ask about Jimin? She knew nothing of him and was most certainly not close enough to him to be asking around. 

Internally beating herself up for being so forward, she was a little more than shocked when Jin's smile was soft, his gaze tender as he focused on the sealed box. "He was so kind, a real hard worker. He loved dancing with all his small but big heart, he was nothing but cute and considerate to us all."

"A complete sweetheart, a sucker for praise as well. He would smile and the world would light up, his smile was the most stunning thing on earth," Hoseok chipped in, squeezing a sniffling Taehyung tighter. 

"Jimin was so intelligent, and amazing listener who would never interrupt. But as much as he could be a pushover, he was also firm and dedicated," Namjoon added, looking up from her phone.

"He was a perfectionist and that often meant he overworked himself trying to get something right. It was a bad habit and I could never get him to shake it off completely," Taehyung's eyes were full to the brim with tears, easily showing her that he was the most visibly affected by Jimin's swath, "and for what it's worth, he was the best dancer I've ever seen."

Jeongguk was the only one who didn't speak, instead being out his phone and opening his pictures to show her something. A few seconds of scrolling through his camera roll later, he picked out and pictures and held it out for her to see. 

A young boy, no older than 19 was smiling back at her, his cheeks round and his eyes moon-like crescents. His skin was glowing, his shorter form dangling happily off of a 17 year old Jeongguk's arms as the sun sparkles, a ray of light cast over his head in a halo. 

Fingers grazed over the picture, her attention completely snared by the beautiful and youthful looking boy; the boy who had also stolen Yoongi's heart. 

"He's so young," she whispered, Jeongguk's head nodding in agreement. 

"He was only 19 when he passed away, I was really young as well but it hit hard," His bottom lip was quivering and sympathy washed over her, her heart going out for them all. It had to be excruciatingly hard to deal with a deal of someone so close to them.

Namjoon stood up, pushing the box into her arms. It was heavier than she was expecting. "Please give it to him. We've had time and things to cope with, but Yoongi-hyung has only had his own thoughts. We want him to have what Jimin intended him to have, and maybe one day we could meet the person who made Jiminie so happy," the smiles were melancholy, sad but tinged with hope. 

The last thing she would dare to do was break their hearts. They all deserved better than that. 

"You're all so kind, Jimin was lucky to have people like you in his life," and Taehyung smiled, reaching out to place his hand on the box; a distant glaze over his eyes. 

"And we were lucky to have him."

* * *

 

"It's all sealed down, right?" Kihyun's worries were starting to get tedious, his incessant fiddling with the packing and constant frowning was beginning to wear her nerves thin. 

Despite her steadily growing annoyance, she knew why he was acting so jittery - even more nagging than usual. Today was the anniversary of Jimin's death, a day that was hard on so many people. 

The box was wrapped airtight, put into a plastic bag with all the air sucked out and then into a sealed bag to prevent any league of water. The journey was only short but there were precautions that had to be taken regardless. 

Kihyun was especially nervous about this fact, wanting everything to be neat and perfect. He was already stressing over how Yoongi would take to it, there was no way to predict what kind of reaction he would have to receiving everything all at once. They both had no idea what to expect.

"Hyun, baby," tucking the sealed package into the backpack she had, she pressed a thumb to the middle of his brows, easing away the wrinkles, "relax. It's fine, you don't need to stress. Yoongi can have all the time he needs to look through it, he had a right to the things Jimin left for him, you shouldn't worry so much."

His sigh was loud, shoulder slumping as his eyes closed. "I know, I just.."

"Worry for him. And that's completely normal, he's your best friend, I don't blame you. But if you're nervous, he will be too and that's no help to anyone," huffing, he knew she was right. 

Softly clutching her hand, he squeezed it as a silent agreement, sipping up her bag and making sure it was tight on her shoulders before his eyes grazed over the pink shell on her neck and stepped into the water. 

The cool rush of the ocean was familiar, the water surrounding her was both surreal yet so exhilarating. No matter how many times she did it, it would always be mesmerising. 

"Let's go," her trust was laid with Kihyun and the lull of the waves guided them to Oceania where they landed just in front of the shared home. 

Slowly, the front door was opened and they walked inside. Nothing had changed at all, the house eerily silent despite Yoongi still being inside. They took a quick stop in the kitchen, unpacking the box and checking it over to make sure that nothing had been compromised before walking up the stairs.

All was silent, the world holding its breath as Kihyun knocked on the door. The sound echoed, bouncing off the walls for a solid few seconds. 

"Yoongi? Can we come in?" almost inaudible sounds of a chair moving travelled through the door, "please?" 

A full minute ticked away before the door creaked open and Yoongi was stood there. He didn't look particularly messy but his puffy eyes and cowlicked hair weren't the best indicators of a stable mind. 

"Yeah?" His voice was croaky, most likely from disuse but it could well have been from crying. 

"We have something for you," Extending her arms, the box was handed to him, his expression morphing into one of confusion, "Jimin left it for you."

The change was immediately, his back straightened and eyes wide like he had been shocked. Knuckles turned pure white as he held onto the object in his arms, torn between throwing it to violently the ground or clutching it to his chest. 

"He left this for me?" An undercurrent of disbelief laced his words, like he thought this was some cruel prank they had decided to play on him.

"He did, his friends asked us to give to you," he continued to gape at the box. "We'll leave if you l-"

"No!" His loud refusal startled them both, his cheek chewed on as he stared at his feet, "please stay," he spoke quieter, less conviction behind his syllables - expecting rejection. 

"Of course," Kihyun guided him aside, briefly grazing his fingertips over Yoongi's cheek before closing the door behind them.

It was an awkward little shuffle to the bed but no complaints were raised or even thought, both their minds focused on Yoongi and Yoongi alone. Managing to sit on a circle on his bed, it took him a couple of moments to reach out for the decent sized compartment; hands trembling as he did so.

The lid was pulled away, a sharp inhale punctuating his first glance into the box. Neither of them dared to look inside, deeming it invasive and inconsiderate. 

A letter was taken out, the envelope in pristine condition aside from the slight yellow colouring of the paper from age. Yoongi's finger was nimble, sliding under the seal with ease and he paused as the envelope opened. 

"Take your time, Yoonie," Yoongi managed a grateful glance towards towards her before he returned to staring at the letter, slowly opening it and removing it from its confinements. 

Unable to see through the back of the paper, the contents were visible only to Yoongi who's breathing had become shakier and his grip wobbly, the beginnings of tears glossing his hues over. 

He read slowly, eyes trailing over every carefully printed word, Jimin's beautiful print triggering a million different emotions that he usually suppressed. Every doubt that had been in his mind was erased immediately, he could _never_ mistake Jimin's handwriting. 

After he finished reading that letter, he tucked it carefully back into its envelope and picked up the next one reading through that one as well until a small pile of at least five letters had formed beside him and he was struggling to see through the film of water glossing over his vision. 

Hand reaching back in, he pulled out a small journal, the cover plain black with Jimin's name written in english cursive. 

Barely able to think straight, there was no way he would be able to read it, thus holding it towards Kihyun with an unspoken plea. 

Taking it without hesitation, he began to read.

"Hi, Hyung. If you're reading this then it means I'm no longer alive. But you shouldn't be sad about that because I'm okay now. No more small heart to worry about, haha," the youth was tangible within every word, but also held an undeniable maturity. Death wasn't an easy subject regardless of the circumstances. "Please don't cry over me, I love you and I will continue to love you beyond life."

Yoongi was shaking, trying desperately to stop the tears that spilled down his cheeks as he inhaled raggedly, greatly appreciating the circles that were drawn onto his palm.

"I wish I could have made more memories with you, but I will forever treasure the ones I have already. I died with no regrets, picking up your shell was the best thing that had ever happened to me. Never blame yourself, you made my life worth living. Every second with you will remain with me forever," his chest heaved, throat tight as he struggled to breathe. Years worth of grief and longing rising to the surface. 

"You're my moon and my stars, you're my serendipity, I love you." Kihyun paused, surprise written all over his features, "I wish I could have fulfilled this promise before but I want you to look into the small black box."

She took the liberty of handing Yoongi the black box, his fingers barely managing to grasp it as he opened it. His gasp was loud, tears stopping momentarily as he looked at the contents.

Inside lay a glittering ring, the diamond and the metalwork incredibly detailed. It looked to be custom made and that suspicion was soon confirmed when the inscription of 'my serendipity' was visible on the inside. 

"This is my promise to you, my beloved. Remember me but never cry for me. You were my first and last love," Yoongi sobbed, ring shimmering even through the bleakness and constriction of his heart. "But I won't be yours. and that's okay. I set you free, Hyung. Take your shell and live your life, you deserve friends and companionship. I hope my friends will treat you well and that you will always get along, I hope you find someone that brings you the happiness you brought me. I hope you find peace. Promise me you will keep me in your heart even when you love another. I will always be watching over you. Fighting!"

He reached for the book, mouth dry and ring laying on the bed, flicking through the pages before he reached a hallowed section at the very back.

Within that hallowed section lay his shell, glimmering ever so slightly, the mint colour swirling with iridescent flakes under the light. 

It was with bittersweet feelings that Yoongi grazed his palm over the words written in ink just below.

'We live on within each other, Hyung. Feel love for me again.'


End file.
